


Bop

by yeaka



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 02:11:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16546826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Thorin has a catchy tune on the brain.





	Bop

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Fill for meadows-green’s “Bagginshield with 28 music” request on [my tumblr prompt list](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/post/179060905990/prompt-list).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Hobbit or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Like any good song, he can’t get the rhythm out of his head—it drums on and on, part of a choir of deep-voiced dwarves, echoing through the wide caverns of Erebor’s depths. Thorin hums it aloud to himself as he walks, trying to keep the melody below his breath, but when the climax comes, he can’t help the booming enthusiasm that comes out of him. He hasn’t heard a tune so refreshing in _years_. The words are quick, clever, the flow different and _new_ , though he can’t quite put his finger on the flavour of the uniqueness. As soon as the song putters out in his mind, he starts it right back up again.

He’s still humming when he reaches his private quarters, still going after he’s climbed out of his boots and cloak and set his crown down on the table. Then he goes to plop down on the couch, unable to do anything more—he just leans back against the headrest, closes his eyes, and lets the memory of all his miners singing roll over him in waves.

He’s only halfway through the first stanza when his concentration’s shattered. A friendly voice calls, “Thorin?” And Thorin looks up to see Bilbo wandering in out of the study. Dressed down in his favourite patchwork house-robe, he smiles at Thorin and wanders over, asking, “Was that you humming?”

“It was,” Thorin answers, though he stops now that he has an audience. “They were all singing it today when I went down to check in with the mines. It’s a remarkable piece, wondrous in both words and rhythm—proof that stones and crafts aren’t the only things dwarves have perfected!”

“Oh, really?” Bilbo asks, smiling indulgently. He takes a seat next to Thorin on the couch, close enough that their knees brush. Thorin nods, his pleasure dropping into a light frown at the way his lover doesn’t seem to be taking him quite seriously.

“If you had heard it, you would understand. This is the sort of thing that the Elf King himself would weep to hear! He’d beg to have us perform it in his halls! It just shows the true talent of dwarves: this song is a masterpiece as grand as our jewels.”

“You really think so?” Bilbo presses.

A trifle annoyed, Thorin insists, “ _Yes_. And if you do not believe me, Master Baggins, I suggest we go for a little walk right now so that your ears might be blessed by the might of Dwarven singing.”

“Ah, well, I can’t take credit for that part. I will give you that dwarves have surprisingly pleasant voices when it comes to such grandiose melodies.”

Thorin opens his mouth to counter more, then falters and repeats, “Credit?”

“Yes. I presume they were still singing ‘There and Back Again’ after I left. Unfortunately, I will have to disappoint you a little—I did write part of it during our stay in Rivendell.” 

Thorin doesn’t manage to rein in his surprise in time. He’s sure he’s given his little lover a wholly undignified, wide-eyed and open-mouthed look. That was indeed what his miners were singing. He can only hope that the exotic thread he detected in it came from hobbit influence, rather than the elven touch.

Laughing happily, Bilbo leans in to kiss him—light and chaste, which is for the best, because he’s still in shock. Then Bilbo rubs their noses together and murmurs, “I’m very glad you like it, Thorin. I was just working on part two now—would you like to hear what I have so far?”

At the moment, Thorin would like to walk Bilbo all throughout the mountain, proclaiming to everyone and everything that this little genius is _his_. He burns with pride for the hobbit next to him, who he always knew was brave and clever, but now is also an artist of considerable skill. Thorin feels quite lucky.

Luckiest of all, he gets to hear the next masterpiece before it’s fully bloomed, and he eagerly answers, “Yes.”


End file.
